Environment Committee on June 18th, 2024

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

I guess the specific question is around whether or not you've looked at having a national service. There are conversations starting right now. Given that we've heard from the military that they don't have enough personnel to respond to natural disasters and given that we're going to see summer after summer of increasing wildfire events, have there been conversations with any of your departments around the creation of a national wildfire service?

[Andrew Campbell]

Certainly there have been reviews of the functions of CIF through Natural Resources Canada and the departments that are with that. There has been an overall look by all of us, just in the last year, of how we can do better as inter-agency departments on all hazard analysis, and that's being taken on by Public Safety.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Thanks so much.

Ms. Shannon, I want to ask in particular about last year's report from the environment commissioner. I was pretty shocked that they seem to find the work on the Species at Risk Act extremely lacking from multiple departments.

One thing jumped out for me: Environment and Climate Change Canada had completed only one of the 399 reports that it was required to produce under the act. The environment commissioner had many other criticisms, but I'm curious about the progress since that report came out.

[Tara Shannon, Assistant Deputy Minister, Canadian Wildlife Services, Department of the Environment]

You will recall that, since the report came out, we have accepted all the recommendations of the commissioner. The work continues. I don't have the details for you in terms of the number of reports, but I would say that we take the report very seriously, and we have accepted all the recommendations. We'll continue to work, both internally and with our partner agencies.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Could you follow up in writing with the committee to get us the numbers on how many have been completed?

I see you nodding. That's wonderful.

Then, in particular, there's been media around the spotted owl. I'm wondering if you could give us an update on what's happening with that.

[Tara Shannon]

Absolutely. I can say, in short, that work continues in collaboration with British Columbia on the spotted owl. We are engaged currently in discussions with British Columbia and the surrounding first nations, Spuzzum in particular, on what an action plan for the spotted owl might look like.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

My next question is on the Impact Assessment Act, and in particular Highway 413.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Ms. Collins, we're really out of time.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

How long do I have?

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The time's up, actually.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Okay, I'll wait for the next round.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

You'll have another shot, for sure.

We'll go into our second round.

Mr. Mazier, go ahead.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you to the officials for coming out this afternoon.

Mr. Tremblay, the Liberal government gave away $96 million to General Motors through the net-zero accelerator fund. General Motors is an American company that made over $235 billion in revenue last year.

How many emissions are supposed to be reduced directly from this $96-million handout?

[Jean-François Tremblay]

I think we have had this discussion before. I would invite you to invite my colleagues from ISED, who are the ones managing this program, and they should be able to answer the question.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

What's your position again?

[Jean-François Tremblay]

I'm the deputy minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

You're responsible for emissions reductions.

[Jean-François Tremblay]

We are responsible for emissions reductions and for the plans in general, but each department, in coordination with us, is responsible for the programs they manage. For example, Finance manages the ITC, and other departments manage their programs. We're not in a place where one person actually rules them all.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Tremblay, the Liberal government gave away $300 million to a company by the name of Air Products through the net-zero accelerator fund. Air Products is an American company worth over $80 billion.

How many emissions are supposed to be reduced directly from this $300-million handout?

[Jean-François Tremblay]

I'd answer in the same way.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

You are the deputy minister responsible for emissions reductions.

[Jean-François Tremblay]

I'm the responsible.... If you look at the Federal Accountability Act that was passed by the previous government, the way it works is that each deputy minister is responsible for the fund engaged within their departments. That's the way it is and always has been.

If you want the answer, you should invite the minister or the deputy minister responsible for the management of this program.

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

So you don't know.

[Jean-François Tremblay]

I'm just saying they're the ones who should come to answer that question.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair.

Sometimes on this committee, the Conservative members treat non-partisan officials as if they're politicians.